Friends Forever
by Sable Supernova
Summary: Each and every friendship goes through difficult times. Only those built on strong enough foundations make it through. Collection of mostly canon one-shots and drabbles depicting the best of friends.
1. Trio&Co: Dying

_Written for The Dirty Minds Competition._

 ** _Warning: AU_**

 ** _Words: 457_**

* * *

 **Dying**

Draco was dying. Writhing in agony on the floor, it wouldn't be long before he lost consciousness. Harry looked at his broken wand with a sigh. This wasn't how today was supposed to play out.

"Neville, you need to go back and find the potion. Take Luna with you," Harry barked. The pair nodded gravely before stalking out. "Ron, you need to go and find the Hippogriff, and be nice! She might be our only hope..." Harry let his sentence trail off as he left fate unsaid. If he didn't say it, it didn't have to be decided.

Breathing heavily, Harry grabbed Draco's wand and the blond let out an impressive groan. He couldn't attempt to help his newfound ally with his own bent wood, so Draco's own would have to do.

"We're going to save you, Draco. I promise."

With that, Harry set to work with Draco's wand.

-o0o-

Approaching the Hippogriff, Ron was scared. She was backing away, nostrils flaring, wild. Nothing like buckbeak. As he pressed his lips together in determination, he noticed how dry and cracked they were. He breathed in deeply and took a step forward. _Don't look 'em in the eye,_ he remembered Hagrid once telling hin. Ron stared straight at her bared chest before licking his lips and reaching forward. He left his hand outstretched as he dropped into a low bow, and waited.

When the beast bowed back, Ron breathed a sigh of relief.

-o0o-

Luna and Neville were stood looking down into the Devils' Snare where the potion was dropped. It wasn't just any potion, it was the rare antidote to the poison Voldemort had injected directly into Draco's heart. Draco had known, of course, that standing against his master was dangerous - he'd said as much to Harry himself. But no one had imagined a horror quite like this.

"So, it's in there? What do I do?" Neville asked, nervous.

"You need to reach in, gently. Go slow," she told him.

Neville moved hesitantly, pushing his fingers into the writhing folds.

"Are you sure?" he asked, looking all the more uncertain.

"Yes, look. It isn't fighting you."

This satisfied Neville, and warily, he reached into the plants depths even further, feeling around hesitantly for the sweet prize he was after.

"It's no good, Luna, I can't do it! My arm isn't long enough!" he announced, frustrated.

"I can see it!" Luna shouted, ignoring his protestations. "It's so close! Go deeper, Neville!"

With Luna's encouragement, his fingers grasped around the cold bottle and he withdrew slowly, so as not to stimulate the plant too much.

He pulled out the vial with a proud grin before the pair ran off back to their patient, hoping that they weren't too late.


	2. Marauders: Birthday, 1975

Written for the 24 Hour Drabble Competition at Hogwarts for Sirius Black's birthday.

220 words.

* * *

 **Birthday, 1975**

The Marauders didn't do anything by half, and that included birthdays. As soon as Sirius stepped over the threshold for the Great Hall on the 3rd of November, a chorus of 'Happy Birthday' seemed to ring from the cutlery itself, two voices for every place set on the tables. A few Gryffindors joined in the chorus while Slytherin students dropped their forks in disgust.

Sirius stood to take a grand bow when the song finished, much to the amusement of his dorm mates.

"If that's what you got me instead of a present, Prongs, I'm pissed," Sirius told his friend as he took his seat, laughing all the while.

"Mate, today's only just begun!" James replied, throwing a massive grin across the table before taking a large bite from the breakfast sandwich he had constructed - two rashers of bacon, one sausage, a fried egg, two hash browns, beans and tomato crushed together with brown sauce and ketchup between two slices of buttered toast.

"Yeah, we have to beat Prongs's birthday balloons," Remus added, chuckling at the memory of the four thousand, two hundred and forty three balloons that were let loose over the course of the day.

"Do I have four thousand, two hundred and forty four on their way?" Sirius asked, in speculation, but the other Marauders wouldn't divulge.


	3. Jily: Consequences

Words: 622

Prompt from Hogwarts Writing Club - piquant

* * *

 **Consequences**

"Ah, astrology," Sirius announced with a grin, and his friends know exactly what was on his mind.

"You wouldn't even be taking astrology if it wasn't for Professor Duniya," James commented, rolling his eyes.

Sirius sucked in a breath before responding, "How I'd love to make her see stars."

As James held in a laugh at his best friend's terrible joke, a nasally voice was heard from behind them.

"My, what a piquant wit Black has," Severus noted dryly, his dour face betraying his sarcasm.

Sirius dropped his smile immediately, drawing his wan as he turned to face the Slytherin.

"Was that an insult, Snivellus?" Sirius barked, while James slowly drew his own wand, ready to defend Sirius if necessary but apparently hesitant.

"Why, can't you tell? Were the words I used too complicated for you?" Severus had his own wand drawn and held high towards Sirius, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

The rest of the class seemed to be more or less ignoring the tension in the air as if it was nothing new – as if these particular boys always stood a second away from deadly fire – and today was just another day.

"You're so funny," Sirius spat, clearly not meaning a word.

"And you're asinine," Severus quickly retorted.

"When you swallowed the dictionary, did it taste of anything beside the grease that dripped off your nose?"

"You're only upset because your mother gave you up as a lost cause before you learnt anything other than easy words!"

"Don't go there," Sirius warned, his voice suddenly tranquil, and sounding much more dangerous for it. Mention of his family was a step too far for him.

"Where? Your family? The Noble Blacks? If only they could see you know! I'd say you were the blackest of the lot."

"If I hadn't promised, I swear to God…" James muttered to Sirius under his breath, cursing himself for telling Lily he'd do anything for her.

A vein ticked in Sirius's jaw, but he didn't attack or shout back. Instead, he waited.

All the same, the Gryffindor boys suddenly found themselves staring at Severus where he lay on the floor, unconscious, lightly breathing.

"Did you do that?" James asked.

"I thought it was you…"

The two boys looked around for the culprit, but saw no wands raised, no guilty glances. When they entered the classroom for the lesson a few minutes later, the pair were still confused and non-the-wiser.

.o0o.

After class, James was more than surprised to watch Lily actually seek him out and then walk beside him of her own free will. He attempted to start a conversation, but forgot whether it was morning or afternoon, so just said good, and let his mouth flail open and closed a few times.

"I was surprised, earlier. You kept your promise," she replied, graciously ignoring his failure to mutter two simple words.

"It wasn't me that knocked him out!" James rushed to defend.

"I know," she smiled. They began to round the corner towards the revolving staircases. "I admire your newly-found self-discipline."

"It's not new. You just haven't noticed it before."

"All the same, if you had thrown a curse at him earlier, I'd have let you off anyway."

"You would?" James asked, incredulous.

"Yeah," she shrugged. "He got personal. Too personal. He tried to get Sirius where he knew he could do the most damage He did that to me, once, and I just walked away. I should have fought back. He needs to learn he can't do that to people and get away with it."

Silence briefly fell between them as James took in her words.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

Lily shrugged, offering a small smile before she walked away.


	4. ParvatiLavender: A Secret Show

Written for:  
Chocolate Frog Cards Challenge: Kirley Duke - Include the Weird Sisters in your story.  
200 Characters in 200 Days: Parvati Patil  
442 words.

* * *

 **A Secret Show**

"Lavender, have you read this week's _Witch Weekly_?" Parvati asked, heading into the dormitory with a grin, clutching the magazine.

"I'm half way through, why?" Lavender replied, looking up from her Herbology homework.

"At the back, look!" Parvati sat on Lavender's bed beside the blonde girl, pointing to a small article. "The Weird Sisters are holding a secret gig this summer! 'More details to be released in a future issue.' They say it'll be in London. We have to go!" Excitement was written all over the fifteen year old's face as her feet refused to stay still in her unrest.

"Oh, Merlin, The Weird Sisters? In concert? I feel like I've been dreaming of this moment forever! We are so there!" Lavender replied, sharing her friend's glee.

.o0o.

"Parvati! Parvati!" Lavender called, racing through the Gryffindor Common Room with _Witch Weekly_ in one hand, heading for the long table where she could see her fellow dorm mates, less Hermione Granger, of course. "It's here! The details!"

It was the final day of term, and the students were preparing to leave for the summer. The Hogwarts Express would take them to London the next morning for another summer of freedom.

"What does it say? Where is it? When is it?" Parvati asked, jumping from her seat and circling the table to meet her friend.

"It's on the fourth, so Saturday. It's at…. The Leaky Cauldron! Seven o'clock!" Lavender exclaimed, before making a strange sort of high pitched noise through a wide-toothed grin.

"It'll be packed, you know. We need to get there early. What's the earliest you can be in London for?" Parvati asked, already thinking through the logistics to ensure they were there, right where they needed to be.

"The morning. As early as we need to be. I don't care so long as I'm there!"

.o0o.

The lights were dimmed as smoke seemed to come from nowhere, filling the room. Parvati and Lavender were right at the front, in the middle, with Parvati's sister beside them, pressed against the barrier by the force of the crowd. They'd been waiting since ten o'clock that morning, but to the girls, it felt like they'd been waiting a lifetime. The crowd began to scream, and the three of them joined in, adding their excited voices to the roar.

Suddenly, the band were on stage, all eight performers, and the lead singer was looking down and smiling right at them. The music began, echoing through them as if it was calling to their very bones. They opened with an old crowd pleaser, Do The Hippogriff, and Lavender was certain she'd never be this happy again.


	5. TerryOC: In Common

Written for:  
Ultimate Chocolate Frog Cards Club: Eddessa Skanderberg - Write about a friendship with a muggle.  
200 Characters in 200 Days: Terry Boot  
Writing Bingo: Terry Boot  
556 words.

* * *

 **In Common**

Jack looked tired. He'd looked more and more tired all summer, actually, but he'd dismissed all of Terry's questions. He said nothing was wrong, but the dark circles under his green eyes and the lack of warmth in his smile told different stories.

Terry was starting to feel uncomfortable as a notion formed in his mind that maybe, just maybe, he was the problem.

Terry dragged a frustrated hand through his dark hair and smiled. "Hey, what's up?" he asked.

They were in the park, sat under the same tree they always sat under on Sunday afternoons. "Nothin'," Jack replied, without even looking at his friend.

"Yeah, right. You've been bloody miserable for weeks. I'm not buying it again," Terry replied, curling his lip. His frustration had reached boiling point.

Jack sighed, his shoulders slumping a little, but he turned to face Terry. "I just don't see the point in this anymore," he said, gesturing between the two of them. "Us being friends. I don't get why we bother any more. It's - what? - a year before we start getting jobs and moving out of home? You'll go and get a job in your world with magic and you'll find a nice house in a magic village, and I'll get a boring muggle job and find a boring muggle house. We won't be able to go out to the local park on Sundays because there won't be a park local to us both. We don't just go to different schools, Terry, do we? We live in different worlds, and it's not gonna get better."

Terry sat there in shock. Once Jack started talking, it was like he was unable to stop. The words just came out quicker and quicker until he was a little red in the face and breathless, his message clear. Terry tried to compose himself, and think of a response.

"Jack… that's… bollocks," he eloquently began. "The magical and the non-magical aren't two different worlds, okay? That's not the point. The point is they live together, seamlessly side by side. Yeah, okay, I probably will get a job in the wizarding world, but it'll be in London - the same London you want to work in. And I've already told you I don't want to live in a fully magical community. I like living here, where everyone just sort of mixes in together. That's what I want."

Terry tried to explain, but the look on Jack's face suggested he was missing the mark a little. "My point is that we'll have nothing left in common in a few years' time. We live in the same town now, but what else do we have?"

"We both spent a week trying to learn guitar and gave up when our fingers started to bleed. We both made absolute arses of ourselves at Sarah's house party last year. We both have scars on our left legs from falling off the land-sled we tried to make," Terry replied. The last one actually made Jack laugh a little.

"We only got scars 'cause we were too stupid to tell anyone and get medical help. My mum still doesn't know," he added.

Terry smiled. "My point is we have a lot in common, Jack. None of that's gonna go away or change. Yeah?"

Reluctantly, Jack sighed and nodded. "Yeah."


	6. Marauders: Love Hearts

**Written for:  
** **February Event at Hogwarts:** (genre) romantic comedy and (object) heart-shaped glasses.  
 **If You Dare Challenge:** 962\. Do You Like It?  
 **Valentine-Making Station:** Ladybug Sticker - Write about an animagus.  
 **Gringotts Prompt Bank:** (colours) candy pink, carnation pink, pink, red, florescent pink, lime green. (said words) added, began, conceded, decided, noted, shouted, snapped. (emotions) annoyed, joyous.  
 **Words:** 1644

* * *

 **Love Hearts**

Valentine's Day was always a big event for the Marauders, not least because it was often a perfect opportunity to prank each other.

The four boys were getting ready, showering and dressing for the day's lessons. Sirius was currently in the shower, and James took the opportunity to dig out his best friend's tie.

"Remus, keep watch," James muttered, gesturing to the bathroom door. Remus rolled his eyes with a smile and went to stand by the door, listening out for sounds that might suggest Sirius was on his way out.

James drew his wand and touched its tip to the fabric, muttering the spell he'd found in _100 Ways To Charm A Witch_ , and sure enough the stripes were soon covered in small candy pink love hearts. Smiling at his handiwork, James shoved the tie back where he found it, nodded at Remus and went back to his own bedside to finish buttoning up his shirt.

It was mere seconds later when Sirius left the bathroom in just his underwear, heading over to his bed to dress.

"What in Merlin's name…" he began, staring at his tie in confusion before he put two and two together. "Not bad, Prongs," he conceded appreciatively before shrugging and wrapping it around his neck.

"You're actually going to wear it?" James asked, unsure if he should be impressed or concerned.

"Why waste your ingenious magical talents?" came Sirius' grandiose response paired with his trademark grin.

James just shook his head, and took his time about tying his shoes. Remus and Peter were ready and after looking at the clock, told their friends they'd meet them down at the Great Hall.

As soon as they'd left the room, Sirius jumped up from his seat on his bed and began rummaging around in his trunk for something. He pulled out two little vial of potions and held them up to the light to examine them. He noted that one was a perfect shade of carnation pink while the other was a distinctive shade of lime green before hastily stuffing them into his pocket.

"This better work," he said to James.

"It will; of course it will," James replied, brushing off Sirius' uncertainty with a wave of his hand.

Once the pair were ready, they began to make their own way down to breakfast. Stepping out of the portrait hole, they were greeted by the stern face and crossed arms of Professor McGonagall herself.

"Whatever the occasion, there's no excuse for defacing and abusing school uniform. It exists for a reason. Five points from Gryffindor, Black," she chastised, briefly glancing in the boys' direction before continuing on her way. "If you chose not to correct it, you'll find you have a detention to accompany the lost house points," she added before she rounded the corner.

"Could've been worse," Sirius noted with a tilt of his head.

Down in the Great Hall, the signs of the day were everywhere. Cards and presents sat in front of students chatting and giggling with friends. Couples were sat staring into each other's eyes instead of at their food. Love hearts, cherubs and ribbons in every shade of red and pink hung suspended from the ceiling as if held in place by invisible string.

James smiled, looking towards Peter and Remus, silently noting that Peter had his usual pumpkin juice in front of him. The two placed themselves either side of their unsuspecting victim, across from Remus, and casually took the food they wanted for breakfast.

"Wormtail, did you finish your Transfiguration homework last night?" James asked, drawing his friend's attention.

"Almost. The last question threw me a little," Peter admitted as he turned to look at his friend. As soon as he did, Sirius was taking one of the vials out of his pocket and as surreptitiously as he could, removed the stopper.

"I'll get mine done this morning after Potions. If you want any help, I'll be in the Common Room," James suggested as Sirius held the vial over Peter's glass and emptied its contents. He gave a little cough when he was done as a signal to James that the coast was clear.

"I might take you up on that, thanks," Peter replied, turning back to his food. James tried to avoid making things obvious so turned his head to look about the room. He looked straight at Lily Evans, just in time to catch her looking at him with a confused expression. She'd looked away quickly, but James had already noticed. He smiled a little, knowing why she was confused. Every year before this one, James had made some sort of a move long before now. In fact, one year he'd started at midnight. But James was trying a different tactic this year, in that he had nothing planned at all, and it seemed that some sort of miracle had occurred: it appeared to be working. Maybe, James allowed himself to think, this year, sixth year, would be their year.

James looked back to his food just as Peter took a drink. James held his breath as he waited for Peter to look at someone, his heart dropping when he saw Peter's eyes land on Lily.

"Lily's beautiful," Peter began, his eyes fixed on her as if he'd just had an epiphany that changed his whole life.

"Ah, shit," James muttered, looking to Sirius. Remus immediately started laughing, realising exactly what had happened.

Peter turned ever so briefly to shoot Remus a dirty look for his laughter before turning his attention back to the object of his desire.

"She really is though, isn't she? Her hair… it's like a London bus, or a telephone box…" Peter continued, not speaking particularly quietly. He began to draw the attention of those sat nearby with his strange words, and soon the Marauders weren't the only ones holding in laughter.

"Her eyes are like moss. Like really, really pretty moss…" Peter continued, oblivious to the fact that Lily's friends were listening, giggling themselves into stitches.

"Padfoot, now would be a really great time to use that antidote," James prompted Sirius, who just looked back with a grin.

"The show's only just beginning, Prongs! It'd be a shame to end it so soon," he decided.

"Her skin! Have you seen her skin?" Peter asked no one in particular. "It's like the inside of a guava, isn't it? I bet she tastes better though. Is it weird to ask someone if you can taste them?"

James had to admit it was funny, even if he didn't approve of the unsuspecting target.

"I think I love her," Peter announced, his eyes growing wide with the shock of his own admission. Lily's head whipped around at this. Her friends had just informed her what was going on and she heard this comment as clear as day.

James didn't notice, he'd turned around to look at Peter as well.

"Yeah, well, she's called for," he grumbled.

Peter and Lily both began to defend themselves simultaneously, attacking James from both sides.

"But _I_ love her!" Peter shouted, as Lily snapped, "I am _not_ called for!"

James turned to look at Sirius as Peter began to stand up, as if he was ready for a fight.

Sirius jumped to his feet, pulling the vial filled with a green liquid out of his pocket.

"Alright, alright, Pete, calm down. James didn't mean it," he began, placing a firm hand on Peter's shoulder. "Here, I've got some Liquid Luck for you, to help with your nerves so you can go over and ask her out."

Peter stared at the potion like it was some kind of life saver.

"Thanks, Padfoot! That's exactly what I need!" he squealed. Peter sat down and eagerly took the potion from Sirius, uncorking it and downing it in one gulp.

It took a few seconds for the realisation to set in, but when it did, the boy looked mortified, turning a shade of pink that matched the hearts on Sirius's tie. He turned around, looking between James and Lily as if he didn't really know which one he should be speaking to.

"Sorry," he said, earning a grumble from James and a friendly smile from Lily.

Lily barked at James once again, calling him out for his comment now the fiasco had died down.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that!" James frantically tried to defend. "I meant in terms of the Marauders' Code! It's Rule Seven, you can't go after someone another Marauder likes. I promise, that was all I meant!"

Lily's anger remained ever present most of the way through James' apology, but towards the end, it completely dissipated and was soon replaced with uncontrollable laughter. In fact, James quickly noticed, a lot of the Gryffindors in front of him had begun to look at him and laugh. Confused, James turned back to his friends, only to spot Remus putting his wand away.

"What did you do?" James asked, full of suspicion.

"Nice glasses, Potter," Marlene McKinnon commented in between bouts of giggles from further down the table.

James immediately removed them from his face to examine them. He recoiled in horror somewhat when he spotted that the plain silver frames were not, in fact, silver any longer, and were a bright shade of florescent pink. The lenses, once perfectly circular, were now bent and warped into perfect love hearts.

James sighed and shook his head, annoyed, before that annoyance switched to pride for his friends' skills, and he soon found himself laughing along with the rest of them.

He placed them back on his face, turning to Lily.

"How about my new look, then? Do you like it, Evans?" he asked, grinning, owning the glasses proudly.

"Nope," Lily replied quickly, but she was still smiling, so James decided to take that as a little victory.


	7. AlbusElphias: How To Drive Out Darkness

**Written for:  
** **February Event at Hogwarts:** (quote) Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr, and (emotion) passionate.  
 **200 Characters in 200 Days:** Elphias Doge  
 **If You Dare Challenge:** 506\. Bodies  
 **Chocolate Frog Challenge:** Albus Dumbledore - Write a story with Albus Dumbledore as the main character.  
 **Valentine-Making Challenge:** Top Hat Sticker - Write about a platonic relationship between two men.  
 **Gringotts Prompt Bank:** (said words) argued, replied, suggested. (prepositions) regarding, towards. (emotions) passionate, sorrowful  
 **Words:** 516

* * *

 **How To Drive Out Darkness**

The boys were sat in Albus' bedroom while Aberforth minded Ariana. Albus would have been with Gellert today had Gellert not taken a sudden trip back to mainland Europe. Albus knew the reasons for the trip, of course, and understood why it was necessary.

But rather than be alone with his siblings, Albus had invited his old school friend over for the afternoon. They were barely out of Hogwarts, having only left three months ago, but Albus and Elphias hadn't had the chance for a catch up yet.

They'd exchanged the usual pleasantries, told the other what was going on in their lives, and an awkward silence had descended. Elphias had turned to read the titles on Albus' bookshelf while Albus flicked through the papers on his desk. Their bodies were angled away from each other, as if the pressure of the silence was between them, pushing them apart.

"Oh, I should tell you about my recent discussions with Gellert," Albus commented, breaking the quiet.

"Yes?" Elphias prompted.

"Yes. We wrote a newspaper article for the Hungarian press regarding our aims. It was very surreptitiously written, of course. It was just to test the waters. We've suspected for a while that Hungary would be more sympathetic to our cause than other European countries," Albus' eyes sparkled as his speech grew more and more passionate. "The majority of the criticism and comments we've seen since have been positive, but a certain organisation, well known for the use of the Dark Arts, has not reacted favourably. Gellert is over there at the moment, attempting to understand the reality of the reaction on the ground. It's all rather interesting," Albus explained, not looking at his old friend as he spoke but staring off past the corner of the room into some distance only he could see.

"That's a rather big step for you to take. Are you ready to take things off the ground yet? Do you have an idea of how you will deal with the negative reaction? The Dark Arts are not child's play," Elphias replied, layering thought upon thought as he spoke.

"We're not far off being ready. We need to plant the ideas first, introduce it to the general populations slowly. But this organisation, they're naming themselves as our enemies, calling for a fight. If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get, and we'll make sure they lose. Sometimes, some have to suffer for the sake of the Greater Good," Albus finished, and Elphias was almost certain he could hear the capitalisation of Greater Good in Albus' voice.

"Do you really think that's the best decision? As far as I believe, darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that," Elphias suggested.

"That's a ridiculous notion. If a man told you he hated you so much he wanted to kill you, you wouldn't try and appease him by declaring your love!" Albus argued with a laugh. "The Dark Arts are not, as you say, Child's Play. The magic involved is powerful, and most easily matched by its own kind than any sort of Light Magic. The sooner we quieten our opponents, the more support we will garner. It's simple logistics."

"I know you aren't going to listen, Albus. You never do. But I think you're making a mistake," Elphias breathed, sorrow and pity drawing his eyebrows together and making his lids sit heavily over his eyes.

"I think you don't know enough to understand," Albus replied. He looked away from his friend towards the photograph on his desk, where a blonde haired boy laughed with a mischievous grin beside Albus himself.


	8. AngelinaKatie: Complaining

**Written for:**  
 **Hopscotch:** (object) lipstick, (object) burger  
 **Speed Drabble:** (word) Minute, (word) Suitcase, (dialogue) "I'm not going to stop complaining."  
 **If You Dare Challenge:** 736\. No Smoking Sign  
 **Chocolate Frog Card Challenge:** Daisy Dodderidge - Incorporate the location of the Leaky Cauldron.  
 **Valentine-Making Challenge:** Write about a platonic female friendship.  
 **Words:** 461

* * *

 **Complaining**

"This burger tastes like it was cooked yesterday, and they've just kept it warm," Katie moaned.

Angelina rolled her eyes and looked away. Her gaze landed on the generic No Smoking sign, which she began to read as if she was highly interested. She couldn't help but think that her burger tasted perfectly fine, and Katie's couldn't have been that different. Katie ate anyway, pairing each bite with a disgruntled raising of her upper lip.

They ate in silence. Angelina wasn't sure why Katie was in such a bad mood. She couldn't think of anything the other witch had to be grumpy about.

By the time they ordered dessert, Katie had only got worse.

"Why is the Leaky Cauldron always so busy? I can't hear myself think!" she grumbled.

"Katie, I thought you wanted us to have a nice day?" Angelina sighed.

"I did! It's not my fault the world didn't agree. I'm not going to stop complaining. If there are things worth complaining about, it's only my right to moan!" Katie argued.

It only took a minute for their dessert to be served; a single large Chocolate Sundae with two spoons.

"That _does not_ look like the picture," Katie noted.

"Seriously, Katie, what's wrong?" Angelina asked. She'd just about had enough.

Katie sighed. "Didn't they promise us that, after the war, everything would be happy? That things would be perfect, sunshine and daisies and all of that? Well, my life isn't perfect. I'm twenty years old, still working at a shop, living with my parents and I've not had a boyfriend in over a year. It just… it's not how things were supposed to go, and I don't know how to fix it," she divulged, her annoyance dissipating to unhappiness.

"Oh, Katie. No one's life turns out the way they expected. Do you think I wanted to work in a Joke Shop? I was going to be an International Quidditch Star by now, travelling the world to play, living out of a suitcase. You have to stop comparing reality to your dreams. There are things to be happy about, but you have to see them for what they are," Angelina told her, her innate optimism shining through.

Katie thought about that for a minute, pulling her mirror out of her handbag to check her lipstick, reapplying it when she saw it had faded. "Maybe you're right, I don't know. There was a job going at the Ministry that looking interesting. I applied for it the other day, so I guess we'll see."

Katie gave a small smile, which Angelina reciprocated.

"Now, getting eating this ice cream before it melts," Angelina ordered, jokingly. Katie raised an eyebrow at her friend before letting out a giggle. Things might not have been perfect, but sometimes, Katie thought, her best friend was.


End file.
